A child's recollections of Tennyson . t of thefamily during the few hours heexpected to be absent, and allfour of us were in the dining-room, chattering and having agood time, whilst we cut breadand meat for sandwiches. Nodoubt we were making a noisetoo, for Lionel was in riotousspirits, and as usual the wit of thecompany. At all events, althoughthe windows were wide open, we no A CHILDS RECOLLECTIONS did not hear the well-known massivetread on the gravelled terrace with-out, or notice the darkening of oneof the windows by the large, cloakedform. Then we were startled bythat deep-toned voice:
A child's recollections of Tennyson . t of thefamily during the few hours heexpected to be absent, and allfour of us were in the dining-room, chattering and having agood time, whilst we cut breadand meat for sandwiches. Nodoubt we were making a noisetoo, for Lionel was in riotousspirits, and as usual the wit of thecompany. At all events, althoughthe windows were wide open, we no A CHILDS RECOLLECTIONS did not hear the well-known massivetread on the gravelled terrace with-out, or notice the darkening of oneof the windows by the large, cloakedform. Then we were startled bythat deep-toned voice: Hallam, I wish you would stayat home to-day. I need you. There was an instants pause —scarcely more—on the part of oneof the best sons in the world, andthen came the cheerful, unhesitatingreply. Very well, father. I will bewith you directly. And we three rode away withoutHallam. Thus it was always. Andit is no exaggeration to say that inthis absolute devotion he foundgreat happiness; also, no doubt,his reward, if one were TENNYSON AND HIS NURSE THE AST NSV * OF TENNYSON iii After I came to this country ourfather was appointed Dean of West-minster, to succeed his almostHfelong friend, Arthur PenrhynStanley. Mr. Tennyson paid morethan one visit to the deanery —how many I do not know, as Inever was in England but oncewhen he was at our house. It wason this occasion that he took hisseat in the House of Lords for thefirst time. He enjoyed wanderingaround the abbey and cloisters, andtook much interest in the theatre,especially after his own plays hadbeen put upon the stage. To the deanery many persons ofnote were invited to meet him, someof these as great, each in his ownway, as the poet laureate himself,and it was at a luncheon party 112 A CHILDS RECOLLECTIONS given in his honor on the day hereceived his peerage that a ratheramusing incident took place. Thedeanery servants were apparentlygreatly impressed with the fact thatMr. Tennyson was now a peer, andthe butler in
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